


Till the Sun Burns Out

by porcelainepeony



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: Fireballshipping, Furehomu, M/M, Post-Canon, sat on this fic for months oops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:55:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24951922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/porcelainepeony/pseuds/porcelainepeony
Summary: Flame is dead. He’s been dead for days. But Takeru can’t stop hearing his voice.
Relationships: Flame/Homura Takeru
Comments: 16
Kudos: 33





	Till the Sun Burns Out

**Rating:** T  
 **Word Count** ~6750  
 **Notes:** Flame’s SOLtiS design based on nwsksun’s design: [ https://twitter.com/nwsksun ](https://twitter.com/nwsksun)

This fic kind of takes place in the same timeline as my other post-canon fic _All For You,_ except this one is Takeru-centric with FureHomu sprinkled throughout. You don’t actually need to read the other fic, just know that it’s post-canon where Yusaku finds and restores Ai and comes to the conclusion that the data of the other ignis are possibly floating around in the network too.

As always, thanks for reading! Comments and kudos are always appreciated <3

xxx

Shadows stretch over the lonely bed as darkness blankets the walls, the desk, the part of the floor not kissed by moonlight dripping past the window. Takeru eyes the sheer curtains. Considers pulling them taut in an attempt to block out the light, but he knows his efforts would be futile. Light will always trickle through the sheer curtains. 

The curtains had been Flame’s idea. To keep the ghosts out, Flame teased, shaking his head the way he always did when Takeru visibly paled and began to fidget nervously. 

_“With some light, you’ll be able to see whatever you think is haunting you.”_

_“What do you mean whatever I_ think _is haunting me?!”_

Takeru knows ghosts are real. They exist not only in the shadows but inside Takeru. Inside his head. His thoughts. His heart. There, they had lived for ten years, whispering regrets into his blood, planting grief into his nightmares, serenading sorrow unto his soul. 

_“I don’t think ghosts are real, Takeru.”_

Takeru sighs heavily at the echoing voice filling the hollow of his mind. One more ghost has joined the already booming chorus, but this one won’t shut up, won’t stop pestering Takeru, won’t stop reminding him of effortless smiles kindled upon lips that had known a decade of misery’s company. This one is different from the other ghosts, too, acts more like a flare—a beacon—glowing dimly as it drifts in an endless void, beaming behind Takeru’s closed eyes, burning steadily despite being put out. 

Cursing the curtains, Takeru throws himself on the ground beside his bed, pulls the blanket onto the floor and over his shoulders, and reaches for his duel disk. Idly, he caresses the center, brows furrowing when nothing happens. 

The stillness does nothing to stop Takeru’s mind though. Like a wildfire, Takeru’s thoughts rush back to Flame. Their meeting. The way Flame proudly explained what his name meant. The way Flame’s words seared Takeru’s soul, breathing courage and boldness into his spirit. 

“Flame,” Takeru mouths, the name nothing but a pleading hymn.

But in the darkness, a snuffed fire will not reply. 

x 

_“Do ignis get cold?” Takeru asked Flame, tilting his head against his pillow, watching as the shadows on the ceiling danced. He didn’t have a reason to ask, but after rooming with the ignis for a few days and sharing long nights of answering question after question about humanity, Takeru was curious about the ignis. Flame’s body was tiny. Smooth. Soft, not like skin but rather like some type of fabric-plastic hybrid._

_“I’m the_ fire _ignis, Takeru,” Flame answered, proud of his element. Of his identity._

_“I know that.”_

_Flame liked teasing Takeru. That was the first thing Takeru discovered about Flame, and Takeru assumed Flame would never grow tired of it. One day, Flame even admitted—though not before winning an eyebrow twitch from Takeru—that he liked Takeru’s expressions. Like seeing the flustered blushes and exasperated eyerolls. Liked hearing Takeru sigh and huff. Liked observing the pouty frowns._

_“No, we do not get cold. None of us do. We do not shiver or sweat like humans.”_

_Takeru rolled onto his side, facing his duel disk and Flame. “Must be nice.”_

_“Ho? Are you cold right now?” Flame asked, cocking his head to the side, arms crossed as he eyed Takeru’s form under the blankets._

_“A little,” Takeru replied, yawning immediately after._

_It was the yawn’s fault. Takeru didn’t see Flame pop out of the duel disk and morph into… well, into whatever a large monster with a tail and six tentacles could be called._

_A scream left Takeru’s throat, but he couldn’t escape Flame’s movements as the ignis wrapped around him, kindly providing him with a second layer of warmth._

_When Takeru stopped struggling, Flame asked, “Takeru, are you still afraid of me?”_

_“Just how many forms do you have?!”_

_Flame’s chuckle kissed a pout upon Takeru’s lips._

_“Any other transformations I should know about?” Takeru asked with a huff. Flame was damn lucky he was a cozy and comfortable blanket; otherwise, Takeru wouldn’t have forgiven him for scaring him. Again._

_“Hn, well…”_

_“Flame!”_

_“No more, I promise.”_

_It wasn’t long before Takeru calmed down, before he surrendered to the tranquil blaze that surrounded his soul whenever Flame was around. Relaxing was easy in Flame’s presence, something Takeru didn’t expect but appreciated and cherished, something he knew he’d miss the day Flame finally left his side to rebuild his home._

_“Thank you,” Takeru muttered, watching car lights flicker across the ceiling._

_“You’re welcome,” Flame hummed, his chest—or what Takeru assumed was his chest—vibrating against Takeru’s. Takeru became strangely aware of how quickly his heart was racing and realized Flame’s chest produced no such melody._

_“Hey, Flame,” Takeru broke the silence, moving his arms, wrapping them around Flame’s body._

_“Yes, Takeru?”_

_Takeru closed his eyes. Heart or no heart, Flame’s gentleness and warmth were a soothing lullaby that made Takeru feel special, like he truly belonged wrapped up in Flame’s weird limbs. “If you can’t rebuild your home, you’ll always have a home with me.”_

_Flame said nothing, but Takeru felt the tentacles tighten._

x

A groan rumbles deep in Takeru’s throat as his eyes slowly flutter open, sight focusing on the duel disk in his hand. 

Three nights have gone by since Takeru went to say goodbye to Kusanagi. Takeru’s intention that day was simple—ask Kusanagi if he knew what Yusaku planned to do about Ai. Takeru had always envisioned leaving Den City after he helped Flame find out who destroyed his home, after he personally dealt with the anger he still harbored for the Hanoi. But no matter how loudly Flame’s voice resonated within Takeru’s skull, Flame was gone, as was Takeru’s hatred toward Revolver. All Takeru had left in Den City was Yusaku and Kusanagi, and one of them was missing.

Takeru wasn’t too surprised when Kusanagi told him Yusaku had stopped by the truck earlier in the day. He was even less surprised to learn Yusaku planned to duel Ai. Takeru was, however, disappointed Yusaku did not ask for help. Not that Takeru expected Yusaku to ask for anything, but a part of him wished Yusaku had said something more, something to him. Instead, Yusaku skipped school, left without a goodbye, and with him, Yusaku took not only Takeru’s resolve to leave the city immediately but also Takeru’s last connection to Flame. 

Flame never said much about Ai or the other ignis, but that didn’t mean Ai wouldn’t divulge a few secrets. Takeru had hoped, when Ai and Yusaku’s duel was over and Yusaku talked some sense into Ai, he’d be able to talk to Ai, ask him about Flame, about what Flame was like before they met. But as the days passed, that hope began to fade, and Takeru realized all he would be left with were endless questions and more emptiness than he knew how to fill. 

A trickle of sunlight greets lavender-blue eyes, bursting Takeru’s thoughts. Takeru’s neck is stiff after hours of sitting still, but he manages to take a deep breath and lifts a hand to his face, pushing his glasses off onto his lap. 

It has only been three nights, but it feels like eons since Takeru last spoke to Kusanagi. Millenia since he last stood up from the floor. Lifetimes since he heard tangible, real voices. Takeru didn’t return to school the day after meeting with Kusanagi, but he did try calling Yusaku several times. Every time, the ring sang endlessly, and every night, Takeru abandoned the warm embrace of his bed and dreams of Flame’s undulating voice in order to contemplate his next move. The only problem is Takeru’s indecisiveness. In the midst of uncertainty and worry, Takeru felt stagnant, unable to make a choice, incapable of acting on his feelings, his instinct, his gut. Around Takeru, time continues to move. Birds sing in the distance. Footsteps hurry in the apartment above, eliciting the urgency of life. Voices outside fill the cool morning air.

Takeru’s gaze returns to his duel disk, fingertips tracing Flame’s temporary home. Since losing Flame, Takeru hasn’t been able to sleep well. Not that he slept well before meeting Flame. He should have been used to it. Should have been used to staring at the ceiling for hours, mind muddled, heart lost. Yet after meeting Flame, sleepless nights turned to sharing secrets turned to laughter and banter. However short-lived, those few months Takeru spent with Flame were the happiest months Takeru had known in years, were the only times Takeru had slept peacefully after the Lost Incident. 

There are only echoes now. Echoes that ring in Takeru’s skull. Memories of laughter and broken promises. Fragments of conversations Takeru would have forgotten with time had Flame’s voice not been so eager to haunt him. 

Takeru sighs. Glances at his alarm clock but doesn’t move. He reckons he is waiting. Waiting for a sign from Yusaku. Waiting for a call or a message. Waiting for something to remind him that Flame is truly gone, that the voice he hears is nothing more than the seeds of longing and loneliness budding into jungles.

But a part of Takeru doesn’t buy his own logic. 

Loss was an intimate lover of Takeru’s. At too young an age, Takeru had been wrapped up in its limbs, coddled till he couldn’t breathe, strung along with a crumbling heart with no chance of quitting his entanglement. He knows all too well the emptiness that comes with loss, the raw pain that chokes the lungs, the debilitating sadness that crushes the heart. Pain from loss never disappeared, not entirely. Scars remain as ever-present as the guilt and regret and anger.

There remains a flicker inside Takeru’s heart. One that refuses to extinguish. One that urges him to move, to act, to believe. One that whispers to him.

 _I’m always with you_.

_Face forward._

_Soulburner._

Takeru is beginning to hate the persistence with which the fire burns, and he cannot help but wonder if maybe, perhaps, somewhere in the endless void of the network, of things he cannot nor will ever understand, Flame isn’t waiting for him, waiting for Takeru—for Soulburner!—to find and rescue his partner.

Takeru’s phone buzzes, the melody that follows igniting Takeru’s soul, fueling and feeding his thoughts. He crawls across the room quickly and reaches for his phone, the name _Yusaku_ tumbling past his lips. The prospect of joining Playmaker on LINK VRAINS leaves Takeru winded. Yusaku is okay! He has his phone. He can text. They can communicate. Takeru can tell Yusaku he thinks he can find Flame, that he feels Flame’s presence, that he truly believes Flame can be saved. Then Yusaku can let him down gently, exchange Takeru’s dreams for truth, extinguish the spark that lives inside Takeru.

Takeru exhales. His fingers shake. He fumbles when trying to unlock his phone, but he manages to press his passcode and clicks on his messages. 

_||I’m getting Flame back.||_

It’s a mistake, Takeru thinks, but his emotions are ablaze, and his fingers type replies before his brain can process what Yusaku has told him. 

_||whaddaya mean??||_

_||Flame’s alive??||_

_||let me help!||_

_||Yusaku???||_

Silence wraps around Takeru, eerie and cold and dark. Takeru’s thoughts sizzle and crackle. 

_Am I still asleep?_

_Did I imagine the text?_

_Is this a bad joke?_

There’s no reply. There probably won’t be one for hours. For days. Takeru really wants to leave Den City. The sooner the better. He’s tight on money. Lonely. Tired. He misses Kiku. Misses having someone to talk to. Someone who will listen. Someone who will tell him what he needs to hear. And damn everything, he misses Flame. He misses Flame so much! Despite knowing Flame would be proud of him, proud of everything Takeru has accomplished since their parting, Takeru hates Den City. Hates the place where he lost Flame. Where he spends hours of sleepless nights picturing Flame’s life before they met, remembering how quickly his heart raced whenever Flame complimented him, imagining the could-have-beens had Takeru been stronger, strong enough to beat Bohman.

Takeru knows Yusaku though. He hasn’t known him for long, but Takeru knows the type of person Yusaku is. He wouldn’t send a meaningless text, much less joke about something so serious, something he knows left a hole in Takeru’s heart. A part of Takeru wonders what exactly has happened to Ai. To Yusaku. Between them in their duel. Maybe they worked everything out. 

Maybe they found an alternative and committed to fixing the injustice that was done to the ignis. 

Maybe Playmaker lost his mind.

A shiver runs down Takeru’s spine. Fingers grasp at the blanket around his shoulders and yank, pulling the fabric tighter. He wants to be angry. He wants to demand Yusaku let him help, at least for Flame, at least so he can save Flame the way Flame saved him. But Takeru knows better. Yusaku has always preferred working alone. Preferred to burden himself rather than burden anyone around him. All Takeru can do is stare at the text. Maybe prolong his stay in Den City. Perhaps meet up with Kusanagi to tell him Yusaku was okay and supposedly on another quest.

 _“You believe him,”_ Flame’s voice echoes, bouncing melodically inside Takeru’s skull till there are only fragments and whispers. 

Takeru breathes in. Breathes out. He does believe Yusaku. Trusts him wholeheartedly, as much as he trusts Flame’s voice. But Takeru still feels stuck, wishes he could do something to help. It’s cold in his room. The thin blanket isn’t enough to keep him warm. Neither is his hoodie. Nor his clothes. Flame’s embrace is no longer within reach, but...

 _Face forward, Soulburner._

_||I’m getting Flame back.||_

Maybe, if he gets off his ass, he won’t have to feel cold for long.

x

_It was Takeru’s idea to show Flame around the countryside. Mostly to get out of the house for awhile, seeing as he didn’t know when he would be back, but also to avoid his grandparents’ questioning looks, since they were probably under the assumption that Takeru was losing his mind and talking to himself._

_“I’ll be back for dinner!” Takeru called, a gust of wind closing the door behind him. He didn’t need much to get around town. Just his bike and his duel disk._

_“Your grandparents are very sweet.”_

_“Yeah, they are. I probably give ‘em a rough time though.”_

_“Surely.”_

_“Shut up.”_

_The day was lovely, the sun winking behind the clouds, the air fresh and crisp, the scent of the sea bathing anyone who dared to venture too close to the docks. Takeru wasn’t close to the docks though. His tour began through his neighborhood, through the old streets filled with fluttering conversation, old couples selling fruits, students walking home from school. Flame hid within the duel disk, only the eye visible, but judging from how intently he observed the world around him, Takeru could tell Flame was enjoying the ride._

_The back alleys weren’t as lively, but the main street where all the students gathered after school was crowded and loud, the scent of ramen and dango wafting between the restaurants, making Takeru’s stomach grumble. Luckily, Takeru didn’t plan on lingering there for long. He wanted to bike along the secluded paths on the outskirts of the town, where the trees danced in lush green fields and the only train leading in and out of the country rushed by just before dusk._

_When the sun began to set, Takeru took Flame to the docks where he typically napped, where he usually hid when skipping class. It was the perfect time to show Flame the ocean. As the sun waved goodbye, a flurry purples and oranges kissed the clouds, the ships still at sea lightning up, creating floating, twinkling constellations._

_Takeru sat on the floor on his favorite pier, one leg bent and propped, duel disk perched neatly on his knee, eyes watching the boats, the clouds, the waves._

_“Your home is beautiful,” Flame broke the silence, turning slightly in the duel disk to stare at Takeru._

_Takeru frowned, gaze mesmerized by the horizon. “It’s not really home,” he admitted. Takeru didn’t like talking about his feelings to just anyone, but, for some reason, it was easy to talk to Flame. “I was born in the city nearby. That was my home.”_

_Flame crossed his arms and tilted his head in curiosity. “Ho? So humans can’t find new homes?”_

_“I guess they can, but... it’s gotta feel right.”_

_“Feel right?”_

_“Yeah. You know. It’s gotta feel like a place you belong.”_

_Flame nodded, “So you feel like you don’t belong?”_

_“You ask a lot of questions, Flame.”_

_Flame hummed in reply but said nothing more, turned to stare at the ocean instead._

_Takeru watched Flame closely, his own curiosity bubbling the more he tossed around Flame’s question. “Say, Flame, what’s your home like?”_

_Their gazes met when Flame turned around. Takeru leaned closer, a faint smile playing on his lips as he imagined what it would be like to live inside a computer. Or did Flame live on the internet? Were they the same thing?_

_“It’s quaint. Technically larger than the world humans inhabit, but small compared to how vast the network is. We each have our own dominion, where we watch over the cyberse monsters that dwell there.”_

_Takeru’s eyes widened, “So you’re like a king?”_

_Flame seemed flustered by the question, but Takeru couldn’t be sure if what he saw was a blush since Flame turned his head away._

_“No, nothing like that. We created the lands and the monsters, but we don’t rule over them.”_

_“I see,” Takeru said, nodding. “So you’re a god!”_

_“Takeru...”_

_Takeru laughed, “I wish I could see it.”_

_“Hm? You really won’t miss this place?”_

_Looking out at the ocean again, Takeru knew he would be back, but when he returned, it would be for his grandparents and Kiku, not for the tranquility of the scenery. “I’d miss the people more than I’d miss the place, but I guess the docks are a good hiding spot.”_

_Flame’s shoulders shook in hushed laughter. “Maybe I’ll take you to Cyberse World then.”_

_Takeru grinned, not at all displeased with the notion. After all, Takeru had already come to the conclusion that, the next time he set foot on the pier, Flame would not be by his side. He would be in a new Cyberse World with his friends, and Takeru would be lonely again, his world a little less colorful without Flame’s neverending questions and insults. “Sure, Flame, I’ll be right here waiting for you.”_

_Flame didn’t have lips, but even Takeru could tell he was smiling._

x

Staying in Den City an extra month was not part of Takeru’s original plan, but he cares for Yusaku’s wellbeing and thinks maybe, just maybe, Yusaku will contact him again.

Yusaku doesn’t. He doesn’t even contact Kusanagi. He disappears, a puff of smoke lost to the winds. When the end of the month rolls around, Takeru can’t help but wonder what happened to Yusaku. There is no sign of him at school. No one knows where he lives. He vanishes without a trace, and the only message he apparently thinks to send out before disconnecting his phone is to Takeru. 

_//I’m getting Flame back.//_

Takeru spends the majority of his time in school studying the message. It’s easy enough to understand, but there are layers to the words. Nuances only Takeru can decipher. Implications hidden between the letters. It’s a strong statement. Direct. Confident. Yusaku knows Flame is out there. Perhaps he knows Takeru feels it too, the way Yusaku would feel Ai if something were to happen to him. It’s the only explanation Takeru can invent when he asks himself why Yusaku sent him a message and failed to send one to Kusanagi, and it’s the explanation he takes with him when he finally leaves Den City. 

Takeru’s grandparents are excited when Takeru arrives. They hug him, ruffle his hair, ask about his school and friends. They help him unpack, make him dinner, bring smiles to his lips. 

Their house doesn’t feel like home. It never would. For as much as Takeru loves his grandparents and is thankful for all they’ve done for him, Takeru’s home was destroyed the day he argued with his parents. But his grandparents’ house is cozier than the lonely flat in Den City, its walls familiar, its scent nostalgic. Takeru still can’t sleep, but he isn’t up staring at Yusaku’s message, gawking at his duel disk, waiting for a text or a call or for Flame to magically reappear.

Instead, Takeru is proactive in his insomniac state, forcing himself to grab his duel disk, forcing himself to log on to LINK VRAINS.

It doesn’t work. All he can manage is to connect to his hometown’s server—a pathetic excuse for VR—and watch his room from within the small network. 

The days crawl by. Takeru’s hometown is nothing like Den City. People walk slower. They say hello and wave. They remember faces and names. The birds sing louder, creating symphonies with the sound of crashing waves and honking boats at the pier, making melodies for the hoards of school kids to dance to during their morning commute. 

Being with Kiku is nice. Takeru can tell her almost anything, and she listens intently, sometimes laughing at Takeru’s antics, other times shaking her head with mild embarrassment. Her reactions only fuel Takeru into telling her about his partner. He leaves out specific details—he doesn’t want to explain what the ignis are nor how they came to be—but he tells her all about their adventures in the city, in the network. He tells her about how well they worked together, how easy it was to sync his thoughts with Flame’s, how seamlessly their souls seemed to unite. Takeru even tells her about the time he awkwardly leaned forward, completely lost in thought, entirely awash with adoration, and clumsily pressed his lips against where Flame’s lips would have been had he been human. 

“Takeru!” Kiku raises her voice, excitement and surprise staining her cheeks. “Are you going to tell me her name now?”

Takeru blushes. “Uh… well… my first kiss wasn’t with a she…”

“I knew it!” 

Takeru cannot stop blushing the rest of the day, but he also can’t stop smiling. He tells Kiku about LINK VRAINS, about how vast it is and how beautiful the sky looks and how cool the costumes are. He tells her of the strong duelists, of his many triumphs, and of the one painful loss he suffered. And he tells her about D-boards, about soaring through the clouds, about seeing the fantastical world from up above. 

“I’d like to see it one day,” she replies, smiling dreamily. 

“I’ll take you!” Takeru grins. Of course, it’s a far-fetched dream. The LINK VRAINS network works only for citizens of Den City, but Kiku nods and makes Takeru cross his heart. 

“You better keep your promise, Takeru.”

Takeru laughs, “I will.”

There was no way Takeru could have known that, eventually, LINK VRAINS would be made available nationwide. Heck, Takeru didn’t expect LINK VRAINS to be open to the public so soon after all that had happened with SOL. But a week after making his promise, news channels begin reporting the expansion of LINK VRAINS, saying anyone in the nation with a duel disk and account will be able to access the network by the end of the following month.

That date comes exactly three months after Takeru received Yusaku’s text. By that time, all Takeru can think about is logging onto LINK VRAINS and finding Flame. Or, at the very least, contacting Playmaker. Takeru knows Playmaker is out there. He isn’t sure where he is or how he knows, but he is certain, and it drives him. Motivates him to keep walking, to keep moving forward. 

Keeping a smile on gets easier. Takeru adjusts it daily. Wears it proudly. Dons it eagerly the day he and Kiku log onto LINK VRAINS together. The network is not that different from what he remembers, but it is bigger. Louder. Bolder. There are more people. So many new faces. The colors are more vivid. Yet the first thought that instantly rushes to Takeru’s mind is _Flame_. 

A wind howls, its iridescent cry bringing a smile to Soulburner’s lips. It’s almost as if logging on has enhanced Soulburner’s senses. He swears he can hear the network calling to him, echoing voices within his skull. 

In his distraction, Takeru almost misses Kiku’s compliment.

“Don’t be silly,” Takeru says with a grin and a blush. If Kiku thought Takeru was cool, then she would be even more excited to learn about Playmaker and his heroics. “Besides, there’s someone cooler than me here.” 

“Really? I want to meet him,” Kiku replies, smile big, cheeks rosy. 

“Well, he’s on a journey right now.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, but…” There’s a whisper in the air. A cry. A secret tune only Takeru can hear, and it sings to him like the crackling flames of a bonfire. “He’ll be back. Soon. And then I’ll introduce ya!” Soulburner promises. He isn’t sure why, but he’s certain Playmaker will return soon. He can feel it, feel something fastening inside his chest.

That night, Takeru wraps himself in his blankets and pretends Flame is there, keeping him awake with silly questions about humans. Takeru thinks he even hears Flame’s voice whisper to him, calling out his name in the cool darkness. 

For once, the murmur is welcome.

x

_Takeru could barely keep track of all that had happened after he arrived in Den City, but the thing that stood out to him the most was how unnecessary the fight between humanity and the ignis was. In the span of just a few weeks, Takeru learned that he had gotten himself into quite the war, that his partner’s life was in danger, and that he would do anything to protect Flame._

_After all, the last thing he wanted was to fail Flame._

_“Are you still thinking about what Yusaku said?” Flame asked, emerging from the duel disk when Takeru’s silence lasted more than half an hour._

_Takeru looked at the nightstand from his spot on the bed and reached over for the duel disk. “I guess so,” he replied, unaware of how lost in thought he truly was. After arriving home, Takeru took a long shower, then planted himself in bed without even drying his hair._

_“Parting was something inevitable. You knew that,” Flame continued._

_With a frown, Takeru answered, “Yeah, but I’m afraid I’ll never see you again.”_

_“Afraid?”_

_“Ah, maybe I’m being selfish. I wanna fight, just not forever. But that means, when this war is over, I’ll never see you again.”_

_“You are being selfish,” Flame said, crossing his arms and cocking his hip slightly._

_Takeru pouted, “Thanks.” But Flame wasn’t wrong. For the first time in years, Takeru had found a reason to move forward. To fight. To live. He wanted so much to be able to share his life with Flame. Yet he also knew Yusaku had a point, and it would be safer for all the ignis to protect the life they had and hide after the war was won. “You’re right. I’m totally selfish, but… I like this. Not the life-threatening parts. I can do without those.” A soft laugh. “But I like coming home, staying up talking to you, sleeping together. That sort of thing.”_

_Flame stared at Takeru for a long minute before nodding, “Hm, I will miss this too.”_

_A smile bloomed on Takeru’s lips, cheeks warming. “But above everything else, Flame, I_ will _protect you. I promise. I won’t ever give up.”_

_“Takeru… that’s corny.”_

_Takeru blushed. “Where’d you learn that word?”_

_“Ai’s soap operas.”_

_Laughter boomed in the room, Takeru’s heart racing and spinning and leaping. Without much thought, Takeru brought his duel disk closer and leaned forward, placing a soft kiss against where Flame’s lips should have been._

_Flame immediately turned around in response, before Takeru even realized what he had done. The room grew silent, only the sound of car engines filling the city air outside and Takeru’s racing heart pounding against his ribcage reverberating in the room._

_“Sorry Flame!” Takeru muttered, face awash with embarrassment, “I uh…” He what? Didn’t mean to kiss Flame? He had. In fact, he would have gladly kissed Flame again if he knew the ignis knew what kissing even was. But he didn’t know how to explain himself. He hadn’t even kissed a person before! And Flame didn’t have lips for crying out loud!_

_Flame turned around, arms still crossed, head tilted slightly. When their gazes met, Takeru’s lips moved on their own._

_“I love you, Flame.”_

_Flame blinked. Takeru thought he could see a blush tint his cheeks._

_“Is that how humans express love?”_

_“Sort of.”_

_Flame nodded, seemingly considering Takeru’s reply. Releasing his crossed arms, Flame reached out. Takeru raised a brow but brought the duel disk closer, close enough for Flame to cup Takeru’s cheeks in his small hands and press his face against Takeru’s lips._

_“Then I love you too, Takeru,” Flame confessed, nuzzling Takeru’s lips softly._

_Takeru smiled. He hadn’t believed in soulmates. Not until he met Flame._

x

Takeru logs onto LINK VRAINS. He doesn’t know why—he’s not smart enough to scan the secrets of the network, so he waits in the skies, searching for a sign. A purpose. A reason. Amidst the clouds he lingers, hoping, mentally reciting Flame’s name, listening to the whispers and echoes that sing back to him. He barely notices when he closes his eyes. Barely notices his body drifting. Barely registers the sounds of the world below. 

In his dream, Takeru sees Flame. He’s an eyeball at first. Fragmented and broken. Just bits and pieces of meaningless nothing. When Takeru calls to him, the darkness swallows Takeru’s voice. Takeru fists his hands and tries again. 

Again.

Again. 

Flame doesn’t hear Takeru, but the data slowly grows, familiar features glowing and forming. Small arms and legs take shape. A small head and familiar patterns weave together. Takeru watches in awe, watches the way data floats to Flame’s tiny frame and attaches itself to his body, watches until Flame’s eyes open and his gaze meets Takeru’s. 

A voice rips Takeru’s thoughts, “Something’s missing.”

It takes Takeru a solid minute to register the words, but he recognizes to whom it belongs and almost excitedly shouts, “Playmaker!”

Playmaker says nothing else, only turns to stare at Takeru—Soulburner—and waits. 

“What’s missing?” 

There’s no reply. Playmaker tears his gaze from Soulburner and stares at the newly formed ignis. 

Takeru’s bottom lip quivers. He reaches out for Flame in a panic. Pulls him close. Shuts his eyes and bows his head. “Tell me what’s missing!” The silence lingers. Taunts him. Cackles. Takeru grits his teeth, frustration lacing his voice as he screams, “Flame!”

Warmth vibrates between them. When Takeru opens his eyes, his body is glowing. Bits of data float from the center of Soulburner’s chest, engulfing Flame in a bubble of bright red. 

“Flame…”

When the data disappears, Flame extends his arms, small hands cupping Takeru’s cheeks. His face leans close to Takeru’s forehead, and though he doesn’t speak, Takeru feels his presence, feels his fiery soul bidding Takeru to awaken. 

Takeru jolts. Gasps. Sits up, the image of Flame fading from view. Takeru isn’t sure when he logged out, but he is greeted by the waves, the setting sun, the pier he so loves to nap on. Takeru’s breath rattles past his lips. A slight slump returns to his shoulders, lavender-blue gaze lovingly grazing the center of his duel disk. He must’ve been dreaming. Again. He knows his dreams aren’t real or prophetic, but his heart had never beat so quickly, not since the day he met Flame, and he wants so badly to believe—to believe Flame is out there, alive, waiting for his partner to find him. 

“You’re never really coming back, are you?” He asks the waters, sighing, closing his eyes for a moment before he fists one hand and chokes on a sob. “I told you I’d be here waiting, Flame!” He screams, voice cracking from desperation.

The ocean sparkles in reply, deaf to Takeru’s anger and misery. Takeru knows he’s pathetic, that he should keep walking forward, but it’s hard. Lonely. Painful. Flame’s voice still haunts him, and Takeru is afraid. Afraid he’ll forget the timbre of Flame’s voice the same way he has forgotten the voices of his parents. Afraid he will never be able to apologize to Flame for failing him, for letting him die. Afraid he’ll truly never see Flame again. 

Takeru stands as his phone buzzes, but it’s the shadow that moves behind him that captures his attention. 

“Takeru,” whispers the SOLtiS with beaming golden eyes and crossed arms. “Did you skip class again?”

Takeru sharply sucks in his breath. Holds it. Meets his gaze to the stranger’s and feels tears well in his eyes. There is no doubt in Takeru’s mind the man standing in front of him is Flame. Takeru would have recognized Flame no matter what his appearance was. No matter the body he possessed, the clothes he wore, the different lifetimes their souls intersected. Takeru will always recognize Flame, will always recognize the other half of his soul, the one who completes him, that brings him warmth and a smile—despite the tears kissing his cheeks—, that makes him so stupidly happy. 

“Flame!” Takeru tries to say, but the name is a half-sob, half-choke. His legs and arms at least have the decency to respond accordingly, legs carrying him toward Flame, arms opening wide, threatening an embrace. 

They collide hard and rough. Takeru has never been good with controlling his emotions, and he is making it painfully obvious the tighter he holds Flame, the longer he sobs into his shoulder. “You’re really back, right Flame?” Takeru mumbles against Flame’s shoulder, tears pooling, melting into the fabric of Flame’s white jacket. “Tell me you’re really here.”

Flame smiles, his arms tight around Takeru’s torso, tight and warm and secure. “I’m really here. You can thank Yusaku and Ai for that.”

Takeru laughs. Relief washes over him like rippling waves, relief that his friends are okay, that they haven’t stopped fighting for a better future. 

“Wait, is Yusaku—”

“He’s fine. Ai’s making sure of that.” 

Takeru smiles, Flame’s words giving him the relief he craved for months. 

“What about you? Are you okay?” Takeru asks next, pulling away just enough to look Flame up and down. 

Flame blushes. It’s not the first time Takeru sees Flame’s cheeks light up, but he was an ignis then. This time, Flame appears human. He’s a little taller than Takeru, tanned skin seemingly kissed by the sun, eyes golden beacons surrounded by a heavy set of dark, fluttering lashes. The pink is faint on his cheeks, but picturesque, a rosy shade that compliments the dark blue and deep red of his hair, which is long at the back, braided messily. 

Takeru can feel his cheeks light up, lavender-blue gaze taking in the earrings, the red liner, the tight-fitted black shirt.

“I’m uh... this design wasn’t my choice,” Flame explains, eyes darting to the side to avoid meeting Takeru’s. 

Blinking, Takeru laughs, slowly becoming more aware of how interwoven they were, how both their limbs refused to release one another. “I think it’s cool,” he admits, fond of the similarities Flame shares with Soulburner. “Ai’s got a flare for style.”

Flame scoffs, obviously unapproving of Ai’s flashy cape and frilly ascot. “But there is an upside to this,” Flame adds with a small shrug, catching Takeru’s gaze. 

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.” The blush intensifies on Flame’s cheeks, blooming like peonies. “I can do this.”

They bump noses when Flame leans in. Takeru slips a giggle between their lips, just as Flame steals a kiss. It’s soft, barely a whisper, but it’s enough to dust their cheeks pink, to bring a flurry of emotions rushing through Takeru’s mind. 

When the kiss ends, Takeru pulls Flame back into an embrace. “I’m sorry,” he whispers, closing his eyes. “I’m sorry I couldn't save you.”

At the words, Flame sighs, tightening his hold on Takeru. He presses the side of his face against Takeru’s head, tenderly rubbing his cheek against Takeru’s hair the way he used to when he was still an ignis and Takeru pretended to be asleep. “Idiot,” he murmurs into soft locks of white and red. “I’m here now because you wouldn’t stop calling to me.”

Takeru pulls back and raises a brow, irises lined with confusion. “Huh?”

“You kept calling me in the network.” When Takeru’s brows scrunch, Flame sighs. “I think it’s your Link Sense, Takeru.”

“My incense?” 

Flame shakes his head, “Nevermind. You saved me. That’s all that’s important.”

A laugh escapes Takeru, prompting Flame to blush. “Flame, that’s kinda corny.”

To avoid Takeru’s gaze, Flame closes his eyes. “It was the only way to get you to stop crying,” he insists, acting embarrassed on Takeru’s behalf. 

“I wasn’t crying,” Takeru pouts. He understands though. Not the technical stuff. He doesn’t know what a Link Sense is. But he knows the bond he shares with Flame is strong. It’s the one thing he will never stop believing in.

Taking Flame’s hand in his, Takeru speaks softly. “Let’s go home, Flame.”

Flame nods.

The shadows have begun to kiss darkness upon the streets, but Flame’s smile is brighter than the sun will ever be.

x

For the most part, the evening flickers by smoothly. Takeru introduces Flame to his grandparents, which is easy, considering Flame sort of already knew them. Coming up with a story about where and how they met is also fairly simple. Even asking them if Flame could spend the night poses Takeru no problems. 

But by bedtime, there is definitely a problem.

“Uh, Flame?”

A problem Takeru didn’t even think about since the only thing that matters is having Flame by his side.

The blankets rustle. “Yes?”

Takeru shifts beside Flame till their eyes meet, the power LED on Flame’s neck enough to light the space between them. “You might be a little too big to share my bed.”

“But we always slept together,” Flame teasingly complains. 

“You’re bigger now!”

Flame seems to consider Takeru’s comment, but instead of doing anything productive about their inability to get comfortable, Flame throws a leg over Takeru’s thighs and pulls himself atop Takeru, face within inches of Takeru’s.

Personal space was never an issue, but Flame isn’t portable sized anymore.

“What if I sleep on top of you?”

He also has full lips and pretty eyes and enough weight to trap Takeru against the mattress.

Takeru feels his entire face warm at the suggestion. A second problem forms. “That’s not a good idea. At all.”

“If you’re afraid I’ll crush you, Ai informed me these bodies are made from lightweight alloy and steel. Yusaku apparently likes it when Ai’s on top.”

Takeru is pretty sure Ai wasn’t supposed to share those details with Flame, and he’s also pretty sure the meaning of Ai’s words flew completely over Flame’s head. “Flame, I don’t think Ai means--”

Before Takeru finishes his sentence, Flame slides an arm under Takeru and flips them around, somehow managing to keep them both on the bed. 

“Is this better?” Flame asks, peering into Takeru’s eyes, the huff of his words caressing Takeru’s lips. 

Takeru’s heart pounds wildly as he stares down into Flame’s eyes, but he nods and wiggles down Flame’s body to rest his head atop Flame’s chest and avoid melting into Flame’s gaze. He hears no heartbeat, but there’s a small hum and the whirring of gears in the hollow of Flame’s chest, enough of a melody to echo intimations of life, and Takeru decides having Flame beneath him is soothing but terribly distracting, a problem he most certainly didn’t consider when imagining what it would be like to live with Flame. There is, however, a simple enough solution. One that would at least distract Takeru until they could figure out an alternative in the morning. 

“Hey, Flame,” Takeru whispers. 

“Hm?”

Takeru smiles, pushes himself up, and brings his lips to join Flame’s. “What else did Ai tell you?” 

Even in the shadows, Takeru could see Flame’s cheeks light up.

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve always believed that not only are the origins and ignis really strongly connected (see Earth dying and Spectre crying ;;), but that they all share something akin to Link Sense. Maybe not really Link Sense. That’s a Yusaku and Ai thing and Yusaku has a deeper connection to the network. But something close to it and definitely enhanced when logged onto the network. Basically, they can feel the other’s presence. I hope that makes sense xD 
> 
> Thanks again for reading! <3


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